A federal judge based in Vermont has ordered the immediate release of a Tufts University doctoral student who was nabbed by ICE officers in March for her alleged support of Hamas as she was heading to meet with friends to break her Ramadan fast.

Rümeysa Öztürk has spent the last six weeks held in a Louisiana ICE processing center, over allegations by officials at the Department of Homeland Security that she had “engaged in activities in support of Hamas, a foreign terrorist organization that relishes the killing of Americans.” It was not clear what the specific activities were, but the arrest is believed to have stemmed from a campus newspaper op-ed critical of her school’s response to the war in Gaza, according to a habeas petition filed by her lawyers.

U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III pointed out in his order that Ms. Öztürk, who also had her student visa revoked, was detained under a false pretense that her arrest was necessary to protect American foreign policy, but the government failed to provide any evidence of unlawful activity.

“Here, the government has shown no such exceptional circumstances,” the justice wrote in his ruling. 

Ms. Öztürk’s arrest and imprisonment highlighted a wave of foreign students who had been arrested for participating in pro-Gaza protests, which has raised public concerns over free-speech rights and due process.

While speaking to reporters in March during a trip to Guyana, Secretary Rubio boasted of the sweeping arrests and the revocation of nearly 300 visas.

“[It’s] stupid for any country in the world to welcome people into their country that are going to go to your universities … and say, ‘I’m going to your universities to start a riot. I’m going to your universities to take over your libraries and harass people,’” he said. “I don’t care what movement you’re involved in. We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visa.”

“At some point, I hope we run out because we’ve gotten rid of all of them,” he added.

Also in March, another doctoral student, this one from the University of Alabama, was detained by ICE officials. Alireza Doroudi, a mechanical engineering student from Iran, was arrested at his home during the early morning hours, according to a UA student publication, the Crimson White.

In a group chat at the time of his arrest that included other Iranian UA students, it was alleged that his F-1 student visa was also revoked.

“After receiving the revocation notice, Alireza immediately contacted ISSS [International Student and Scholar Services] at the University of Alabama,” the message said. “ISSS replied with confidence, stating that his case was not unusual or problematic and that he could remain in the U.S. legally as long as he maintained his student status.”